Battery hand lamp



Patented Sept. 27, 1932 ururanv fsTA'rlasV HOHER W. JONES, I NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, vANZI) HERMAN GBAUBNEB, 0l'

- Yoan, N. Y., AssIeNons 'ro NATIONAL cAnnoN connut, me., A oonronA'rIolr OF NEW YORK nAr'rnaYHANn-Lmlf" Application ma come: a4, ma sex-n1 n. sier-sa. y

This invention pertains to battery hand lamps and the like and more specifically to improved means for supporting an electricbulb in such lamps. r

Ever since the electric bulbs for battery hand lamps of the focusing type have been made with lilaments concentratedv into a small area, considerable diilicult hasbeen experienced in locating thesebu bs in suchv hand lamps so the filament was at the focal.

ally considerable play or looseness betweenV the outside of the .threaded portion of the bulb and the inside of thev threaded portion of the lamp socket, this method of seatin the bulb in the lamp socket cocked the bul to one side so it was out of alignment with the rest of the hand lamp and es cially thereflector; This caused an un esirable distribution of the projected light; a light beam of low intensity; and a scattering of many of the light-rays that amounted to a loss. Therefore, one ofthe obects of this'invention is the provision of a socket that will hold a lamp bulb in alignment with the lamp socket andA its associated reflector. Furthermore,l this invention includes all theother objects and novel features hereinafter described and shown. .Y I

We attain the objects` of this invention by the mechanism illustrated in the accompany-` 'in drawing, in which:

igure 1 1s a longitudinal section of-a hand lamp embodying our invention,-

Fl'gure 2 1s an enlarged lon 'tudinal section `of the bulb holder assem ly shown in Fi re 1, and i igure 8 is an enlarged perspective of the 'lamp bulb seat shown in Figures 1 and 2.

One embodiment of the invention may comprise a battery handiangp havin 'a tubular metal casing 10 with a sli htly en arged and threaded portion 11 at t e lower end over whichY isscrewed a conversely threaded metal the threaded l of a p urality of umtdry cells 18 and 19.

amp support in a lamp PATENT; iol-"FICE n l end cap 12 having an internal groove 13 and .I an external groove 14. Hinged to the end cap v12 at one side-of the external groove 14 is a hanger ring 15 that ma beseated in the y* external groove 14 out oft e wa y.when not' in use, and maybe swung out of t eexternal groove 14`andused as a handle, bale, or hangbatte within the casing 10 that is composed Near the upper end of the casing 10 the wall thereof 1s bent so it forms an interior shoulder and just above the interior shouler ring when its `use is desired. Seated in the internal groovel is a battery supportin and contacting member 16 having an upstan ing ri id portion 17 at or near the center thereo that contacts .with and supports a der an interior groove 21. Above the groove 21 the end 22 o theca'sing 10 is slightly expanded and threaded `and the ulpper ed e 23 *7*- 1s turned inward ata slight ang e so it orms an annular plane face upon which the under side of the outturned rim 24 ofthe rellector 25 rests. Resting on the upper side of the outturned rim 24 of the reflector 25 is a cover lass 26 that closes the upperend of the hand amp. The reflector 25 `and thecover-glass 26 are held to the upper end of the casing 10 by a bezel 27 having a threaded skirt 28 that edge thereof that exten s inward over the outer edge of the coverr glass 26, upon which it seats when screwed'on the threaded upper end 22 of the casing 10. Y

Resting upon the interior shoulder 20 of the casing 10 is a circular disk of insulating material formin tends transverse y across the casing 10 completely closing its upperend. Seated in the interior groove 21 of the casing 10 is a cirscrews over the threaded end 22 of the casing 10 andan inturned flan e 29 at the upper` 8,

aA diaphragm 30 that excular split spring ring 31 that bears against the upper side of the outer edge ofthe dia-4 phragm and holds it firmly against the interior shoulder 20 thereby securing it in the upper end of the casing 10. Resting against the under sideof the insulating dia hragm 30 is a metal contactingplate 32 that 1s somewhat smaller in diameter than the diaphragm so it does not extend outward far enough to Y ward make contact with the inner wall of the casin 10. a v

ecured in an aperture in the center of both the diaphragm 30 and the contacting late 32 isa guide 33 having a hollow cylin rical sleeve 34 fitting snugly in the aperture in the diaphragm 30 and the contacting plate 32, an outwardl extending flangelike portion 35 integral with the lower end of the sleeve 34 and resting against the under side of the contacting plate 32, and a hollow cylindrical guidin member36 integral with the outer edge o the flange 35 and extending downtherefrom. The upper edge of the c lindrical sleeve 34 is turned outward a sliort distance over the upper side of the diaphragm 30 thereby holdingthe contacting plate 32 `and the guide 33 to the diaphragm 30. "7

Slidably mounted in the guide 33 is a bulb holder assembly 37 that supports a lampbulb 38 in operative relation to the reflector V25.

Located around the outside of the bulb holder assembly 37 and inside the guide 33 in a partially com ressed condition between the under side o the flange -of the guide 33 and the upper side of a flange 42 on the -bulb holderassembly is a helical retractile spring 39 that tends to hold the bulb holder assembly in its lowermost position.

The bulb holder assembly 37, shown more clearlyin Figure 2, comprises a cylindrical sheet metal lamp socket 40 having a threaded portion 41 near the upper end into which the threaded metal base of the lamp bulb 38 is screwed, and an integral flange 42 turned outward from the lower edge thereof. After the bulb holder assembly 37 is in turn assembled in the guide 33, the'upper edge 63 of the lamp socket 40 is `rolled outward, as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 2,k so the bulb holder assembly 37 will not be forced downward out of the guide 33 by the pressure of the retractile spring 39 when the bulb holder assembly 37 is not supported by one of the unit cells of the battery. Snugly fitting within the lower art of the lamp socket 40 is a cylindrical s eet metal lamp support 43 having a narrow inturned annular flange 44 at the upper end thereof that forms a flat seat for the outer portion of the bottom of the metal base of the lamp 38, and an outturned flange 45 at the bottom thereof that has the same outer diameter as the flange 42 of the lamp socket 40 against the under side-of which the flange 45 rests. Both the frontand back portions of the lower part of the cylindrical wall of the lamp bulb support 43 and the flange 45 at the bottom thereof are cutaway to form clearance openings 46 for the conductor 52 that conveys current to the central terminal 53 of the lamp bulb 38, so the portions of the side wall of the support 43 and the flange 45 remaining form feet, as shown in Figure 3, that are clamped namen under the flange 42 of the lamp socket 40 and hold the support 43 in the lamp socket 40.

When the lamp bulb 38 is in the lamp socket 40 and the metal base of the lamp 38 is seated on the upper side of the flange 44, the central terminal 53 of the lamp 38 extends downward through the opening in the flange 44 and makes contact with the conductor 52, so, therefore, the top of the conductor 52 is normally'below the level ofthe flange 44 and substantially in the center of the lamp socket 40.

Resting against the under side of the flange 45 of the support 43 is a washer 47 of insulating material having same inner and outer diameters as the flange 45. Resting against the under side of the washer 47 is a conductor 48 connecting the battery and bulb and having a rim 49 somewhat smaller in diameter than the washer 47, a downwardly extending central portion 50-that makes Contact with the positive terminal 51 of the uppermost unit cell 18, and an upwardly extending flexible portion 52 that makes contact with the central terminal 53 of thelamp bulb 38. The contacting member 48 is so positioned with respect to the bulb support 43 that the upstanding flexible portion 52 lies in one of the clearance openings 46 of the lamp bulb supportl 43. The

flexible portion 52 is turned up from the body of the conductor 48 at one side thereof near the inner wall of the lamp socket 40 and, although it might clear the inner wall of the lamp support 43 ifthe clearance spaces 46 were not provided they do nevertheless, prol vide a greater margin of clearance and consequently permit greater tolerances in the manufacture of the `\bulb holder assembly. Resting against the under side of the rim 49 of the contacting member 48 is a washer 54 of insulating material having substantially the same dimensions as the insulating washer 47. The various component parts of the bulb holder assembly already described are held together by a member 55 having a cylindrical wall 56 that fits snugly around the outside of the flanges 42 and 45, and the washers 47 and 54, and is a loose sliding fit in the skirt 36 of the guideJ 33. An annular ridge 57 is formed on the inside of the cylindrical wall 56 just above the upper side of the flange 42 ofthe lamp socket 40, by rolling an annular groove in the outside of the wall, and this ridge in combination with the lower end of the wall 56 turned inward under the washer 54 thereby forming the inturned flange 58, clamps the component parts of the bulb holder assembly securely together. There may be an axial ridgeV 59 formed on the outer surface of the wall 56 of the slide 55, that slides in an axial groove of similar form on the inside of the skirt 36 of the uide 33 and prevents the lamp socket 4() rom turning when a lamp bulb is screwed either into or approximately the ICQ ICS

. taining a.) 'the casing out of the lamp socket. As the outer diameter of the flanges 42 and 45, and of the insulating washers 47 and 54 are substantially the same they are held in alignment bythe c lindrical wall 56 of the slide 55, and as t le periphery of the rim 49 of the conductor 48 is smaller in diameter than the periphery of the vinsulatingwashers 47 and 54 between which it is held it, consequently, does not extend outward far enou h to make Contact with the inner Wall 56 of t e slide 55. As the downwardly extending central portion of the conductor 48 fits snugly in the aperture in the iiisulatiii washer 54, and is spaced from the inner e ge of the inturned flange 58 it follows, therefore, that the conductor 48 is insulated from the other metal parts of the bulb holder assembly and is, also, restricted by the insulating washers 47 and 54 so it cannot move into contact with them.

Mounted upon the outside of the casing 10 is a manually operable electric switch 60 by means of which the path of the electric current through the lamp 38 may be completed or broken at will. Attached to the switch 60 and extendin upward therefrom inside `the casing 10 an making contact with the bottom of the contacting plate 32 is an insulated contacting strip 61,. The upper end 62 ofthe contact strip 61 is bent inward so the pressure of the contacting plate 32 a ainst it bends it downward slightly and ho ds it in a flexed position thereby insuring a good electric contact betweenY the contacting plate 32 and the upper end 62 of the contact stripv 61. Furthermore, the contact plate 32 will always make contact with the contact strip 61 regardless of how it may be turned when it is laced in the casing 10.

` en the electric switch 60 is in closed circuit position the path of the electric current through the flashlight is from the positive terminal 51 of the u permost unitcell 18 to the contacting mem er 48, lamp bulb 38, lamp socket 40, guide 33, contacting plate 32, contacting strip 61, switch 60,`casing 10, end cap 12, and battery support 16, to the negative terminal or bottom of the zinc con- 10. The lamp bulb 38 may be reached by unscrewing the bezel 27 from the casing 10 and be readil then removing the cover lass 26 and reflector 25 thereby exposing the amp bulb so it may grasped and unscrewed from its socket. he same 1am bulb or another one ma then be screwed into the lamp socket an the reflector and cover glass replaced on the upper end of the casing and secured in place with the bezel.

When the unit battery cells 18 and 19 become exhausted they may be removed from the casing 10 by unscrewing the end cap 12 from the lower end of the casing thereby exposing the cells and removing their support can of the lowermost unit cell 19 in 1 lower end of-'the casing. In case theliattery` cells should lbecome swollenfand stick-,in the casin force out from theiipper end ofthe casing by removing the bezel 27, cover glass`26, re-

`sotheymay' drop outof the casing 10. Then flector 25, spring ring` 31, andthe diaphra m 30 with the parts assembledtliereon, there y exposing the upper end of the uppermost battery cell 18 so itmay be forced out ,of thekcasing 1 0 by means of any long slim objectvsuch as a` screw driver or hammer handle. AfterV the battery cells have been forced out ofthe casing the,` parts that were removed from the flashli ht may be plut .back-in the vreverse order rom that in which they were removed.

'When the hand lamp isin operating `condition tlie'electric switch 60 maybe laced in closed circuitposition and the lamp ulb and reflector brou ht into focus by screwing the end cap 12 a little further up or' down on the casing 10 therebymoving the battery support 16, battery cells 18 and 19, bulb holder assembly 37, and lampf38`, either' up'or down in the casing 10 until the filament of the lamp 438 and the focal point ofthe-reflector 25 are in coincidence. If the beam of li ht projected from the hand lamp vis watc ed during the focalizin operation, it may be determined from t e character of the beam when a focus is obtained as the size of the beam decreases as a focus is approached so, therefore, all that is necessary is to move the of light is secured..

Various changes may be made in the style, form,

without departing from the spirit of the in- Vention or sacrificing any of the rights thereunder.

We claim:

1. A lamp socket for aflas'hlight having a reflector; said lamp socket -being in axial alignment with said reflector and havin an outturned flange; a lamp in said lamp soc et ;r

in said lamp socket, an outturned flange wit portions cutaway and the remaining portion attached to the flange of said lamp socket, and

and a lamp support having a cylindrical bodiy;

`an annular inturned flange upon which said lindrical portion and, resting against t focalizing 3 adjustment until the smallest possible beamv construction, and arrangement of the various parts ofthe hand'lamp shown herein said reflector and having a ,so they will not drop out, theyfnay be 7.0'

underside of the outturned flange on said -lamp socket, and a narrow annular il turned`A inward; from the u cylindrical portion upon w ich said lamp is' said reflector n and socket.

V'man so it is heid in in alignment with y 3. A lamp socket lfor a flashlight having a 'i reflector;l said lam socket being in mal 'alignment with sai reflector and having an outturned flange integral'therewithga lamp having a central terminal and ametal'- base in said lamp socket; a conductor vcarried b flange on said am socket, and a narrow insaid lamp socket and making contact wi saidl central terminal; and a lamp .su port c having a hollow cylindrical portion ttin snugly within said 1am socket, `an outturne flange at the bottom o Said cylindrical oi'- tion and restin against the under side o the turned flange atft e to -of said cylindrical portion upon which sai metal base is seated and through which said central terminal extends downward, the opposite sides of said cylindrical portion and the flan e at the lower end thereof being cut away to orm clearance for said conductor.

In testimony whereof, we aix our signatures. l

' HOMER W. JONES.

HERMAN G. GRAUBNER.

namen 'i' end of said 

